Government Finds That Unsafe Tractor Trailer and Bus Drivers Still Driving After Being Placed Out of Service
A new study by the Government Accountability Office (GAO) has concluded that trucking companies and bus companies that have been fined or placed out of service due to safety violations have been able to circumvent their penalties by reopening operations under new names and license numbers, according to an article on News4jax.com. Trucking companies and bus companies, and their drivers, are governed by the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) which issues numerous regulations designed to make sure drivers are qualified and safe in an attempt to reduce serious injury accidents. Department of Transportation (DOT) employees conduct roadside safety inspections of semi truck and bus drivers to make sure the drivers and their vehicles and equipment are safe and in proper condition to drive and their paperwork in terms of number of hours driving and equipment inspections are in order. When a DOT employee finds that semi truck or bus drivers, or their vehicles, are not safe or otherwise are not in compliance with the regulations, they can be fined and/or placed out of service.
Additionally, trucking companies and bus companies can be audited by the DOT to make sure, among other things, their drivers are qualified and safe, they are not working the drivers too much and making them drive while fatigued and they have conducted the appropriate drug and alcohol tests with the appropriate results. If a trucking company or bus company is not in compliance with the regulations, the company can be fined and/or placed out of service.
According to the GAO's report, hundreds of trucking companies and bus companies that were ordered to stop operating have continued to operate by changing their names. These companies were shut down because they had drivers with suspended licenses and drug and alcohol violations. Yet, they continue to operate semi trucks and buses in the same unsafe manner while avoiding punishment. The FMCSA is trying to catch these companies and punish them appropriately, but the article indicates they don't have the resources to be very successful.
In Jacksonville, Florida drivers are exposed to semi trucks and buses more than most places because two of the more well-traveled highways in the country intersect here. Stories like this questioning the safety of the buses and semi trucks all over our roads are certainly a cause for concern. When a bus or semi truck causes an accident, it is often a major accident due to their sizes and weights. When an injury or death occurs from an accident, it is important for personal injury and wrongful death lawyers to investigate every aspect of the driver and company to see if they have a history of accidents and safety violations.
